(1481) [BARRETT et al to AUSTIN el al]
Council Hall, December 15th, 1835; To General S. F. Austin, Branch F. Archer and William H. Wharton, Esqrs. Citizen Commissioners: Bexar has fallen! Our brave citizen volunteers, with a persevering bravery and heroic valor, unparallelled in the annals of warfare, have triumphed over a force of twice their number and compelled the slaves of despotism to yield, vanquished by the ever resistless arms of freemen soldiers. We have not time to enter into full detail of all that preceded the glorious Thursday of December the tenth, when the final capitulation of Cos and Ugartechea, was signed. From Saturday morning preceding the time that a detachment of three hundred of our brave citizens, commanded by Colonel Benjamin R. Milam, got possession of two buildings near the public square of the city, an unceasing battle raged until Wednesday, with constant advantage gained by our volunteers, until the whole force of the enemy was driven within their last strong hold across the river, the Alamo; on Wednesday night, Colonel Ugartecha, effected an entrance into that place, with a reinforcement of Mexicans, supposed to amount to three hundred men; this day the black flag was raised by General Cos. He fought with a desperation worthy a better cause; but in vain! The unconquerable Texians, with their equally brave auxiliaries from the United States of the North, could not be dislodged, and the battle raged with murderous fury, with advantage to us, and to the discouragement of the enemy, who became dismayed and disheartened in a contest that but weakened them, and strengthened our valorous brethren in arms, raised the signal of submission. A treaty was entered into, by which all the cannon, a number of small arms, and a large quantity of munitions of war, and provisions were surrendered lo the conquerors. All the enemy, with their General and officers, were prisoners, but released on parol of honor. But over the joy of triumph for a victory, deep sorrow casts its gloom. We glory in the issue, while mingling tears of lamentation for the brave Milam, who nobly fell while fighting
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